Adhesives, inks and coatings are widely used in industry. In particular, water-based formulations of such materials are advantageous in terms of cost and toxicological properties, and potentially have greater acceptance as renewable and so-called “green” alternatives to solvent-based and hot melt adhesive formulations.
Water-based adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives and sealants may be formulated with a wide range of synthetic and natural polymer chemistries. For simplicity these product groups are simply described as “adhesives” herein.
Today water-based adhesives are exploited in numerous end-use markets, where their easy-to-use format and environmentally friendly chemistry are favored, including:                paper, board and related products, e.g. converting and packaging, disposable non-wovens, hygiene products, pressure sensitives, corrugated board and remoistenable adhesives;        leather and textiles, e.g. seaming and stitching, lamination, fabric repair and bonding of underlays, rugs and carpets;        consumer and “Do It Yourself” (DIY) products, e.g. office products, adhesive gels, liquid adhesives;        products for building, construction, civil engineering and craftsmen, e.g. on-site and off-site, adhesives;        woodworking and joinery, e.g. cabinet making, furniture manufacture, door and window frame manufacture, structural joinery, upholstery, plywood, particle board and laminates; and        medical tapes and wound dressings.        
Water-based heat seal adhesives belong to a class of materials that produce films or coatings upon drying. Heat seal adhesives are thermoplastic materials that can be coated onto a substrate, dried, and then reactivated by heat and pressure. Upon drying, they form a coating that can be heat-activated and bonded to other substrates, such as the foil seal on a commercial yogurt container. They are non-tacky materials at ambient temperature and become molten liquids upon heat activation during the product assembly process. They differ from conventional hot melt adhesives, which that are applied in a molten state and cooled between substrates.
Heat seal adhesives have been commonly used in the packaging industry, including for film laminating, pouch construction and blister-pack sealing.
The formulation of water-based packaging inks continues to present challenges. In modern printing, for example, an important challenge for water-based inks is to be effective and efficient when use in the high press speeds (in excess of 1000 ft/min) commonly used for solvent inks. Water does not dry as quickly as most organic solvents, but water nevertheless has benefits. Many workers in the field have focused on modifying existing printing equipment to work better with water-based inks. Further, on the raw material side there is a keen interest in developing faster drying emulsions, and a need is recognized in the industry for a transition from solvent inks to water-based inks if an effective solution can be found.
Applicants believe that with the implementation of an appropriated soluction, as is provided by the invention described herein, the benefits that can be achieved using water-based inks and coatings for printing and lamination applications include:                low or no Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) components;        lower odor;        ink/coating uses sustainable resources;        non-flammable, therefore less regulated environmentally;        longer ink stability as compared to solvent-based inks;        easier to formulate inks for direct or indirect food contact;        improved plant working conditions; and        increased life of photopolymer plates (Flexography).        
Thus, there remains a continuing need for improved water-based adhesives, inks and coatings with better adhesion to difficult, low-energy substrates, and better cohesion and resistance to shear. Preferred aspects of the present invention address and provide effective solutions to these and other needs.